you don't want to be dropped. So jump into the turbid Amazon and
be quick about it.'

'I warn you that your Mummy won't be pleased. Don't tell her I
didn't tell you,' said Slow-Solid.

'If you say another word about what my mother said--' the Jaguar
answered, but he had not finished the sentence before
Slow-and-Solid quietly dived into the turbid Amazon, swam under
water for a long way, and came out on the bank where
Stickly-Prickly was waiting for him.

'That was a very narrow escape,' said Stickly-Prickly. 'I don't
rib Painted Jaguar. What did you tell him that you were?'

'I told him truthfully that I was a truthful Tortoise, but he
wouldn't believe it, and he made me jump into the river to see if
I was, and I was, and he is surprised. Now he's gone to tell his
Mummy. Listen to him!'

They could hear Painted Jaguar roaring up and down among the
trees and the bushes by the side of the turbid Amazon, till his
Mummy came.

'Son, son!' said his mother ever so many times, graciously waving
her tail, 'what have you been doing that you shouldn't have
done?'

'I tried to scoop something that said it wanted to be scooped out
of its shell with my paw, and my paw is full of per-ickles,' said